4A STATE: Western girls eye first title since 1984

Western’s last girls state track and field championship has a bit of dust on it.

But the Warriors hope to add a shiny new title to their trophy case this weekend.

Western, the Class 4A girls runner-up last year, will make a run at its first girls track title since 1984 when the state meet begins at 3 p.m. today at Del Sol. The two-day event, which includes meets for all four classes, concludes Saturday.

“It’s been a long time,” Warriors coach Tony Whitney said. “It would mean a lot to our athletes and to the school.”

Western scored 100 points in just seven running events at the Sunset Region meet and is expected to dominate those events at state.
Junior Tierra Tyler is the defending state champion in the 100-meter dash and will run the 200 and two relays.

Senior Unique Conner, a two-time state 400 meter champion, will run the 200, 400 and two relays, and classmate Ansherae Devine — fourth at state in the 800 in 2008 —  will run the 400 and 800 and a leg of the 1,600 meter relay. Seeding times suggest that Western could score more than 80 points in those seven events. 

“They feed off each other,” Whitney said. “You can see it in their workouts. They’re shattering records all the time. Our core strength is our sprinters.”

The Warriors’ toughest challenge probably will come from Sunset rival Centennial. The Bulldogs are more balanced, with entries in 10 of the 18 events, including four region champions.

Centennial’s best events are the jumps with freshman LaTangie Richard (long jump), junior Tatijana Davis (long jump, triple jump), senior Ashley Liverly (pole vault) and sophomore Karli Johonnot (high jump, pole vault) leading the way.

Centennial has another ace in senior Ashley Mosley, who won the 400 at the regional and anchors the Bulldogs’ 1,600 relay team. The 4A girls 400 will pit Mosley against Western’s Conner and Devine.

In the boys meet, Chaparral will look to improve on last year’s second-place finish and probably will face its toughest challenge from two Northern  Nevada schools.

McQueen won the Northern Region meet, but seeding times suggest that Reno and defending champion Damonte Ranch probably stand to score more points at state. As in 2008, a team score in the mid-50s probably will be enough to win the state title.

The key for the Cowboys probably will be how well Joeal Hotchkins competes in the 100, 200, long jump and 800 relay. Hotchkins tops the seeding chart in the 200 and long jump, and the Cowboys’ 800 relay team had the fastest qualifying time.

 

"Joeal is one of the best athletes in the nation," said Chaparral coach Leon Soares. "Joeal’s two best events are at the exact same time. He has the long jump and the 200 at the same time. Other than that, we’re happy with the spread of events."

To win, Chaparral also will need solid efforts from junior Malcolm McMurray in the long jump and sophomore Carlos Olague in the pole vault, as well as a few points in the 400 and 1,600 relays.

 

"I just want everyone to do the best that they can do," Soares said.

None of the other likely contenders has high-seeded entries in more than five events.